Two military veterans are facing federal and state charges after a violent attempted robbery at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington left a soldier injured and authorities uncovering an arsenal of weapons, explosives, and Nazi paraphernalia at the suspects’ home.
According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Levi Austin Frakes and Charles Ethan Fields were arrested Monday night in Lacey, Washington—less than 24 hours after they allegedly attacked a soldier and tried to steal military gear from a restricted area known as the Ranger Compound.
The incident unfolded Sunday night when a soldier entered a building at the Ranger Compound and encountered two men wearing Ranger physical training (PT) uniforms.
Suspicious of their presence and the cluster of military gear surrounding them, the soldier demanded they remove their masks. The men complied, revealing their faces—just before the situation turned violent.
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A struggle ensued, during which one of the suspects wielded a hammer and struck the soldier in the head.
“Despite losing a large amount of blood,” the complaint states, “the soldier continued to fight and managed to get control of the hammer.” When one of the men then pulled a knife, the soldier let them flee.
Investigators say the duo attempted to steal approximately $14,000 worth of military equipment, including body armor, ballistic helmets, and communications gear. Most of the stolen items were left behind as the men fled, dropping their rucksacks in the process.
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A key piece of evidence was a hat found at the scene with the name “Fields” written inside. Investigators used base entry logs and surveillance footage to determine that Fields and Frakes had entered the base together about an hour before the attack.
The wounded soldier later confirmed that Fields had previously served in the Ranger Battalion around 2021. He recognized Fields in photos shown to him by other soldiers in his unit.
According to a spokesperson for the Army, “Charles E. Fields was a 11B (Infantryman) in the Regular Army from February 2017 to July 2021. He deployed to Afghanistan twice—from September 2018 to February 2019 and October 2019 to November 2019. He left the Army in the rank of Sergeant.”
Information regarding Frakes’ military history was not immediately available.
The two suspects allegedly exploited their veteran status to access the base.
According to the probable cause statement filed in state court, one of the defendants admitted that they had been stealing military equipment from the base for the past two years to sell or trade. During the raid at their home, FBI agents found approximately $24,000 in cash.
Agents also discovered a disturbing cache of weapons and extremist materials.
“Agents observed numerous Nazi/white supremacy memorabilia, murals, and literature in every bedroom and near several stockpiles of weapons and military equipment,” the federal complaint noted.
Photos submitted in court filings showed rooms adorned with Nazi and SS flags.
One flag displayed a red background with a black swastika, while another bore the SS lightning bolt insignia of the Nazi Schutzstaffel.
The home’s windows had rifles staged and ready, according to an affidavit filed in Thurston County Superior Court.
A total of approximately 35 firearms were recovered from the property, including short-barreled rifles, 3D-printed suppressors, an MG42 machine gun—once used by Nazi Germany during World War II—and military-grade explosives such as smoke grenades, blasting caps, and night vision devices.
The home was also the registered address for Sovereign Solutions, a company owned by Fields and Frakes.
According to Washington state business records, the business promotes itself as providing “Quality Training and Equipment for the Modern Warfighter.”
The company’s logo, a stylized “SS” separated by a lightning bolt, drew further scrutiny. On its website, a T-shirt featuring the logo bore the phrase: “Professional War Crime Committer.”
The federal charges filed against Frakes and Fields include robbery, assault, and theft of government property.
State charges include unlawful possession of incendiary devices, short-barreled rifles, and a machine gun.
As of Thursday, both men remained in Thurston County Jail on $500,000 bail.
Special Agent Christopher J. Raguse of the Army Criminal Investigation Division summarized the threat posed by the pair, whose access to military resources and extremist ideology culminated in a brazen, violent act on a U.S. military installation.
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With multiple investigations now underway, authorities are working to determine the full extent of their criminal activity and potential affiliations.
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